Fastening means



Jan. 17, 1939. A SWANSTROM 2,144,350

FASTENING MEANS original Filed'June 27, 1935 i f Patented Jan.'17 129.329

V'llliirrfzl STATE s ISA'HarJ-'rgl ori-ics 7"' rAs'raNmG' means N. J.. assigner to' Elastic StopNnt Corporation, Elizabeth, lil.4 J.,

a corporation of New Jersey A Application June 27, 1935, Serial lilo.'28,610 I ,Renewed November 30, 1938 scisma.'(crasssaliLA l The present invention relates to fasteningv means and has particular reference to improved anchor nut structure adapted to be employed where bolts and nuts are used to removably se-v cure together diierent parts of a larger structure.

-ii I'he invention is particularly applicable -for use in construction where the nature of the parts to.

be seemed together is such that a so-called blind fastening is necessary, as for example where it is l desired to secure by means of bolts or studs the edges of a removable plate the edges of which overlap the structure to which it is attached. 'Ihis arrangement of parts is frequently found in aircraft, where the anchoring parts to which the l 1 5 removable parts are to he bolted are plates of.

such light construction that the anchoring structure can not be tapped for retaining threads, and

" nuts must be employedpon the rearward or blind side of such anchoring structure, which side may be completely inaccessible when the removable `\platedsglaeed in the position in which it is to be secured.

diiierent mode of attaching the anchor member toaparttobesecured;

Fig. 9 is a' perspective of structure shown in section in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a section showing ell different way of 5 securing nuts in an anchor member of channel strip form.

Referring now to the drawing. the reference numeral I0 designates a channel strip havingja web portion I2 and side ilanges. and Ijwhich 10 have inturned portions I8 and-20 respectively.

vIn the channel thus formed,`there is located a seriesof nuts 22 which are advantageously of the selblocking variety and which preferably are of the form shown in Fig. 2 in Awhich a washerqof l5 non-metallic materialmsuch as; 'libre isretainedV in the nut at one end ofthe threaded bore 24, the opposite end of which is advantageously countersunk as at' 28.

Ifreferably the nuts'are forinedl with a ange 20 base portion 28 constituting the retained portion of the nut and such base portion is preferably In accordance with a preferred form ofthe-relativelysthin.

present invention, an anchor member is pro- 2.5 Yvided which comprises a channel having secured therein, in amanner to be more fully described hereinafter, a plurality of nuts which arepreferably o! the seliflocking variety. This 'anchor member is adapted to, be secured to the under or 30 blind side `of one of the parts to be secured togetherby the fastening means so that bolts passlng through the parts may readily be screwed into the nuts which are retainedin their proper positions by the anchor member.

For a better understanding of the invention and Fig, 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3, showing a di rent shape and spacing of nuts;

is a perspective of a section of channel I 5o table for u'se4 in practicing the invention;

r l'Figi '6 is a perspective of a form of nut contemplated by the invention;

Fig. 'l is a section of plate structure together in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 8 is a section similarto Fig.4'1 showing\a The formmed'qfbaseportionsoi the nut may vary widely within the scope of the 25v invention but it is essentialv that this portion be vother than circular in form-and so dimensioned that at least one transverse dimension is greater than the inside transverse distance between the side ilanges of the channel. An advantageous 30 form of the retained portion of thenuts is gen-l erally rectangular in shape and when it is ofthis form the distance across the flats of the base is somewhat less than `the inside width of the channel so as tov permit the nuts to have'a 35 limited movement transversely of thechannel when the retained portions of the nuts are in` sorted under the inturned portions of the side es. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, 40

the channel I0 is made in the form of a continu ous strip of any desired length and a plurali of the nuts'are inserted in the channel and retained at predetermined spaced intervals by de-` iorming the channel at spaced intervals tovlimit the longitudinal movementof each nut in the channel' and to permit each nut to have a small amount of s'uchlongitudinal movement.

Advantageously such deformation consists in bending or crimping the inturned portions of the side anges as shown at 30 in Figs. 3 to 5. The web I2 may however be deformed as shown at 30' in Fig. 10. It will be apparent that the strip thus constitutes anI anchor,v member for the nuts..

The spacing of the nuts-longitudinally of the paratively widely spaced apart and between the nuts at desired intervals there are advantageously provided openings 32 for fastening means to secure the strip to the part to which it is to be fastened. Fastening may be by screwing, riveting or in any other suitable manner. The strip can if desired be spotwelded to the part to which it to be secured.

A series of apertures Sd is'provided in the web of the channel, these apertures registering with the bores of the nuts and being of sulciently larger diameter than the threaded bores of the nuts to insure their registering with these bores in any of the positions of limited movement of the individual nuts. f

The limited movement permitted for the nuts compensates for misalignment in .securing the'. channel strip in position and renders it easy and desired, even when theparts to be secured together require the placing of the at very close intervals. l In Fig. 4, I have shown a form of construction which is particularly well adapted for constructions where weight is lof* importance. As will be noted from the drawing, the' channel is very shallow as compared with itswidth and the base fastening studs portions of thenuts are.formed'as thin iianges ""ir''ii'g. 4, thenuts are placed together as closely `vrflanges on the nuts may be beveled as indicated adapted to t within the lshallow channel,7 Fur# ther, the side f gsoflthehasevtiang es'othe nuts are cut away as at 36 to provide what are in'eilect corner projections 38 which act to prevent rotation of the nuts within the channel. Cutting away of the side faces also provides for'sumclent an opening such as indicated at 40 for fastening thegtrip-teianotherpart;'everwhiwn as 'possible while still having some longitudinal movement within the fchannel. Y To further secure lightness oi' construction, the

" at I2 in Figs. 6.and 10.-

In Figs. 7 `an'cl 9, I have shown a typical ar rangement illustrating the manner in which the channel strip is employed in-practice. In this "ligure, M designates a thin plate to which there member v46. `To the under side yof the plate u the channel strip IIJv is securedas by means of lrivets I8 which are spaced at desired intervals. The nuts 22- are retained in the channel in the Vmanner already described and it will be evident from the `drawing that the removable member may be secured to or released from the plate 44 n by screwing or unscrewing the bolts 50. As previously pointed out, it will be evident that means vfor fastening the strip other-"than rivets `48- may be `employed and if desired the strip may be se- Y cured, as shown' in Fig. 8, by means of one or more bolts 50', the heads of which are seated in the .plate `rather than in the ldetachable plate and which bolts engage some of the nuts `Y forming apart of the stlip ,assemblyto hold the strip in position with respect to the plate to which it is secured. I 'The amount of force exerted bythe nuts against the sidej flanges of the strip due to the is secured a 'cover plate or other like removablewhile the nuts are made of a denser and stronger material such as steel.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the strip form of anchor member provided by the present invention is extremely convenient in its application since the strip can be furnished inlong continuous lengths which may be cut or broken to desiredv lengths retaining one or more nuts asrequired and secured wherever desired .to apart which isto be fastened to-another part of the fastening means.

I claim: I

l. A multiple nut structure comprising a nut holding memberprovidingfa channel and a plurality of nuts situated in said channel, said member and said nuts having portions cooperating to 1 `jacent nuts to confine the nuts-within prede-- termined spaces in the channel and said web portion having a series of spaced apertures registering with the bores of .thenuts x portion and side anwgwgjs'. saidsideangesaving in said channel, said base portions beingjformed with a transverse dimension greater than the transverse width of the channel, whereby to pre- 3. `A vmultiple nut Vstructure comprising a nut 40 holding strip providing a channel having a web, f

vent turning of the nuts in the channel, said strip being deformed at spaced intervals to coniine each nut 'to a predetermined space'in the channel and said web portion having a. series of spaced apertures registering with the bores of the nuts. v

' 4. A multiple nut structure comprising a strip member providing a channel having a web portion and side flanges, a plurality of nuts situated in said channel, said nuts having retained portions dimensioned'to permitlir'nited movement lof the nuts in the'channel and toprevent rotation of the nuts in the channel, said side flanges l a'v-g inginturned portions overlying the retaine por-v tions of the nuts to hold the nuts in the charnel, i' said nuts .being connedto limited movemeit in the channel and having bores countersunk at the ends thereofjin contact with said web portion and said web portion havinga series lof apertures o! larger diameter .than thefbores of the nuts,

said aperturesregistering with said bores in any of the positions yof limited movement-of the nuts.

5. A multiple nut structure comprisingV anut tions to retain the nuts in the channel, the nuts y .being relatively closely spaced and confronting portions of bases of adjacent nuts being cut away to provide space for an unobstructed opening in the web portion of the channel between adjacent nuts and said web portion having a series of spaced apertures registering with the bores of the nuts.

6. Anchor nut structure comprising a nut hav` l oi thin sheet metal having anA apertured base portion underlying the nut, an anchoring portion extending from said base portion, and nut securing portions at opposite sides of said base portion, said nut securing portions being bent up from said base portion and over certain parts of the .ange portion of the nut to hold the nut and anchor member in assembled relation and to permit limited movement of the nut relative to the anchor member.

7. Seli-locking anchor nut structure comprising a self-locking nut having a main body portion and a flange portion projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having therein a locklnginsert adapted to frictionally engage the threadV of a bolt passing through the nut; and 'a sheet metal 'anchor member having a base portion underlying the nut, and nut securing portions bent up and over certain parts of the flange portion of the nut at opposite sides of the nut,

35 said bent up portions engaging the flange pormit lateral movement of the nut within the anchor member.

8. Multiple anchor nut vstructure comprising a plurality of nuts each having a main body portion and a flange portion projecting laterally therefrom; and an elongated sheet metal anchor member having a base portion underlying said nuts, and nut securing portions bent upand over certain parts of the ange portions of the nuts at the respective opposite sides thereof, said bent up portions of said anchor member engaging the ilange portions of the nuts to prevent rotation of the nuts with respect to the anchor member and to permit lateral movement of the nuts within the anchor member, the bent up portions of said anchor member being formed to hold the nuts in laterally spaced relation therein.

vE). Multiple anchor nut structure `comprising a plurality of nutseach having a 'main body portion and a flange portion projecting laterally therefrom; and anelongated sheet metal anchor member having a lbase portion underlying said nuts, and nut securing portions bent up and over certain parts of the ange portions of the nuts at the respective opposite sides thereof, said bent up portions of said anchor member engaging the ange portions of the nuts to prevent rotation of the nuts with respect to the anchor member and to permit lateral movement of the nuts within the anchor member, the bent up portions of said anchor member being formed to hold the nuts in laterally spaced relation therein, and the base portion of the anchor member between at least certain of said spaced nuts being apertured to accommodate means for securing the anchor member to another structure. i g

G A. SWANSTROM. 

